"Two weeks of lock down. No phone, Netflix, tv, wifi-"

"Oh god just cut off my oxygen while you're at it!" I cried out flopping on the couch.

"This is the price you have to pay for that stunt you pulled at school." Dad growled, needless to say he was not a happy camper.

Turns out hiding under a stairwell and laughing your ass off automatically makes you a suspect. But I kept my innocence. They technically didn't have proof and Ezra and I walked out free men...err and women. But dad was still convinced I did it and as a result I was grounded.

"Allegedly. I was allegedly involved. That shouldn't mean you get to keep me like I'm a prisoner on Guantanamo bay." I huffed.

"I know you did it." Dad said crossing his arms.

"And what makes you think that?" I raised my eyebrow. Dad narrowed his eyes, it was meant to be intimidating but it just made him look like an old man without his bifocals.

"I know when you're lying." He said simply.

I scoffed and threw my hands up angrily, "Why does everyone suddenly know my tell-tale signs? Am I that obvious?"

"Yes baby, that's why I love you. Like when I can tell you're lying you scratch your cheek twice." dad explained like the smugly.

"I do not-"

"You scratched, see!" he laughed giddily when I reached up to scratch my cheek.

"I was itchy!" I cried out defensively.

"Sure, he smirked."

"Um dad what are you doing?" I asked.

"I was narrating myself. He explained then pointed towards the stairs and gestured for his lying daughter to live out her two week sentence."

What the.....?

So begrudgingly, I marched upstairs. I'd rather be in my room than with my weird dad.

***
"I'm locked up they won't let out. They won't let me out." I mumbled chalking down another line on my wall behind my newest poster. It was the only thing that gave me hope these days. It was a kitty poster with the words, Hang in there.

"I'm trying to hang in there Mr. BigglesWorth." I sighed flopping down on my bed.

I stared at my ceiling and counted how many ways I'd get revenge on my dad. There was so many possibilities. I could shave his head while he was asleep, or color it pink. God, dad hated pink.  Maybe I'd just send him to a really bad nursing home when it was his time. My long haul revenge took too much time though, and I'm not a patient person.

I was in the middle of my reverie when I heard tapping. I frowned and shrugged, no use of being curious. Curiosity always killed the blonde in scary movies.

Maybe I should send a stripper to the house and say she's my dad's mistress. That would surely put him in the dog house with Tara.

Tap, Tap

No, I want to get revenge not ruin a marriage.

Tap, Tap

What if I shrink all of dad's clothes. I know Tara would make him go on a diet.

Tap, Tap

No. I can do better than some juvenile prank.

Tap, Tap

Growing irritated with the constant tapping, I stormed over to my window and threw it open. "Wha- fucking hell!" I cried out when a pebble hit me square in the nose.

I glared in the direction of where the pebble came from. "Oh crap, Matey I didn't mean to hit you." Nate hissed into the night. He was standing below my window, with a pile of small pebbles next to his feet.

"Why are you throwing pebbles at my window? It's fucking midnight, don't you know people are sleeping?" I grumbled glaring daggers at Nate and rubbing my nose.

"You literally had the lights on in your room." he deadpanned.

"I was plotting...wait a minute." I muttered, climbing out of window to scale the side of the house.

"What the hell...Matey climb back inside!" Nate hissed. I ignored him and carefully tried to climb down the rose vine.

"Keep your bra on Archer. It's safe, no need to worry." I waved him off before my foot caught and I lost my balance. My knee skid across a thorn tearing some of my skin. I bit my lip and landed with a dull thud towards the ground.

Nate scurried over to my limp body. I groaned in pain when he helped me to my feet again. "Keep your bra on, she said. It's safe, she said. No need to worry, she said." he rolled his eyes mocking me.

"In my defense," I said leaning against Nate's shoulder. It was sturdier than it looked and his muscles tensed under my touch. "it always works out flawlessly in the movies." I argued wincing when I put force on my right foot. Pain automatically shooting my knee. "Fucking hell!" I hissed.

"Careful Matey, that was a pretty nasty fall." Nate murmured steadying me.

"It was two feet. I'll be fine." I waved him off, "Now why am I gracing you with my presence."

"You're almost as arrogant as me." he sighed. I chuckled and punched his shoulder. After a moment we froze and gazed at each other.

That was went I felt that awareness again. I haven't brushed my teeth yet, my hair was a wavy mess after my shower, and my adventure time pajama bottoms were ridiculously childish. I quickly looked away and stared at my slipper clad feet.

"I heard you were grounded." he started off softly, "Reese said you were let off the hook at school. But your dad still grounded you." he scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah, but I'll have my comeuppance." I swore.

"Why did you do it? Was it because you have a crush on the new kid?" Nate raised his eyebrow, his tone almost annoyed.

"What?" I frowned. "Nate, what are you talking about? Ezra is a cool guy, you two would get along well."

"Not interested." he muttered rolling his eyes.

"He's new here Nate, and I'm his only friend. Ezra is such a sweetheart, and he's Australian. How cool is that?" I grinned elbowing Nate's side. He  grumbled something under his breath. Then added-

"I have enough friends."

"You can't have too many friends Archer. But if you feel like that then I guess I'll just have to hang out with Ezra exclusively....since you know, you have enough friends." I shrugged limping away to scale the side of my house again.

"You're going to ditch the rest of us for crocodile dundee?" he snapped. I shook my head and limped my broken ass back to him.

"Why are you here Nate? Something is obviously bothering you, so spit it out."

"I wanted to warn you about Edgar."

"It's Ezra."

"Whatever." he waved off.

"I can take care of myself Nate. I doubt he's a jerk, you should really meet him." I urged him.

"He got you grounded." Nate pointed out.

"The prank was my idea. If anything I was the mastermind and I used his good looks and charm to get what I needed." I countered. Nate grinded his jaw again and if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was jealous.

"You think he's good looking?"

I shrugged, "Don't you?"

Nate scoffed, "No! Do you think I'm into guys?"

With the way he made me feel sometimes, I hoped not. But I couldn't say that out loud. "I wouldn't put it past you." I smirked.

"Oh yeah? Want me to prove how straight I am?" he challenged with a devilish smirk of his own.

"What are you-"

"Shh. Don't ruin this." Nate said softly tugging my body closer to his.

He encircled his arms around my waist then used one of his hands to trace the outlining of my lips. I inhaled sharply when he tilted my head so his lips dipped down to the crook of my neck. I gasped when his kissed my neck lightly. His teeth grazed my soft skin and nibbled at me.

I couldn't stop him. Not because I didn't want to, because trust me for the sake of my sanity I wanted him to stop. I didnt stop him because his sweet devilish lips pulled me out of reality and froze me.

My eyes closed and I calculated my next move. To push him off or to see where this leads?

What crack are you smoking Matey! Of course you should push him off, the bastard is trying to prove a point.

"Don't think." Nate murmured against my skin. I really didn't want to think, but I couldn't let Nate prove a point. So I pushed him away.

"Okay, you've had your fun." I muttered breathlessly. I didn't need a mirror to tell me I was blushing violently. "I'm going back to my room."

Nate grabbed my wrist halting me, "I'm straight, I just proved it." he smirked poking my rose colored cheeks.

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes. I began climbing the rose vine to my room again. I made it half way when Nate called out to me again.

"Be careful around Erica-"

"It's Ezra." I corrected him again.

"Whatever," he shrugged, "just be careful okay? I don't want you to get hurt." Nate looked on worriedly as I nodded my head and climbed into my room.

"If anyone's going to hurt me, I'm afraid it's going to be you, Nate." I said to myself once I was alone.

***

"It looks like I'm a free woman Mr. BigglesWorth. I'll see you on the other side-"

"Would you stop talking to that damn poster. It's kinda creepy." Reese cringed. I shrugged and chalked through the last line of my two week period.

"Your face is creepy, yet we still talk to you." I retorted. I grabbed my leather bag and followed Reese downstairs. He grabbed the car keys and swung them in my face, taunting me.

"Haha you can't drive." he mocked me with those beautiful keys hanging out of my reach.

"Can I drive please? I barely get a chance to!" I pouted as adorably as I could. No one could possibly say no to me, right?

WRONG.

"No." Reese said flatly shoving me aside to get to the car.

"B-but I pouted and looked freaking adorable!" I whined. I climbed on the roof of the car and sat down. If history class taught me anything, it was that sitting on your ass in protest got you somewhere. "I will not move until you let me drive." I huffed.

Reese glared at me. "Get the fuck down Matey, you're going to make me late for football practice."

"Are you going to hand me the keys?" I raised my eyebrow.

"I like living, thank you very much." he countered.

I crossed my arms and looked away. "I should drive and if you don't let me, we're not going anywhere." I protested. "2,4,6,8 Don't make this fight, make us late!" I chanted loudly and repetitively.

"Fine, you want to play stubborn, then play it!" Reese shouted throwing his hands up.  He climbed into the car and started it up. My eyes widened in shock when I realized what chubs was up to.

"Ahh!" I screamed when the car lurched forward and began to stroll down the neighbourhood.

A few of our neighbors came out of their houses with looks of confusion. Of course they did nothing to stop my crazy step brother. I clutched onto the sides of the car and pounded on the roof.

"Are you fucking psycho!" I screamed hysterically.

"Yes!" Reese laughed like a maniac. But that was drowned out by the sounds of sirens. "Shit." I heard Reese curse when he slammed the fucking breaks.

Luckily my grip on the car was strong enough, I didn't go flying off. Unfortunately though, I slammed my head on the roof of the car. I knew I was going to feel that sooner rather than later 

"Ma'am," the officer said cautiously, "why were you atop a moving vehicle?"

"Isn't obvious-"

"Matey don't!" Reese warned me but I tend to ignore people who drive with me strapped to the roof of the car.

"This man stole my car." I frowned feigning innocence.  The officer helped me off the car gently.

"Young man I'm going to need your license and registration." the officer recited.

"Okay." Reese grumbled pulling out his wallet and the car's papers. The officer scanned his name and frowned deeply.

"You're Reese Palmer?" the officer asked.

"Yes sir." Reese said slowly.

"I'm going to need you to step out of the car." he ordered. Reese gulped and complied. The officer immediately puy him in hand cuffs. My eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, what are you doing!" Reese cried out.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do will be--" the officer recited in a bored tone. I watched in amusent as Reese was thrown in the back of the cop car.

"Just so you know, he didn't really steal this car." I told the officer lightly. He nodded and smirked at me, all the while Reese was in the back of the car yelling at us.

"I know. But he dated my daughter last year and dumped her. I'm just going to scare him and drop him off at home later." he explained amusingly.

"You are so cool." I laughed. The officer laughed along with me and handed me the keys.

"Do you want to talk to him before I torture the little shit?" he asked. I nodded eagerly and he rolled the window down.

"I blame you!" Reese growled at me.

"Easy there tiger." I chuckled, "Here have a snicker, you're not yourself when you're hungry."

Reese reached out to bite my hand when I offered him the chocolate. His loss. "Call my mom and Greg!" he begged. "This must be about that damn parking ticket." he mumbled.

"You should have let me drive or this wouldn't have happened." I said in a sing-song voice dangling the keys in his face.

Reese turned to the officer and glared at him, "You are putting a lot of people in danger if you let her drive!" he warned the cop.

The officer turned to me skeptically, "Do you have a licence kid?" he asked. I pulled my driver's licence out and he nodded, "She has a licence, they don't give those things out for free you know."

I love this guy!

··························································
Kinda a filler chapter. That I'd add a little humour to it.

But do you think Nate is really skeptical of Ezra, or do you think he's just jelly?

Hmm.....

NATE: I'm not jelly.

EZRA: I'd say you're pretty jelly mate.

NATE: I'm not! You're just....suspicious is all.

EZRA: You're mad that Matey thinks I'm adorable. It's not my fault she likes me, look at me!
*flexes*

NATE: Put that away!

MATEY: No you don't have to. We accept all abs- I mean all kinds.

ME: No, you meant abs.

NATE: *groans* Can we wrap this up?

ME: So jelly.

MATEY: Totally.

EZRA: How could he not?

I'll see you guys next week! Have an awesome day, and don't let finals bring you down. ;)

-R H E A